Soulcaster (MagicalTimeBean)

This is kind of an experiment, offering the full game on Newgrounds for free–we’re not sure what impact this will have on retail sales or what kind of ad revenue we’ll get, but I’m excited to bring this game to a wider audience. – [Author’s Description]

This is really great. I probably would have played it sooner had it not been described (in it’s Indie Royale PC debut?) as a play on the tower defense genre. Though I can see the connection, in practice this feels much more like a like dungeon exploration game in which one can summon (and, crucially, retract) immobile allies without being able to attack directly oneself. That those allies block your own movement as well as that of the monsters is a key part of what gives this a strong tactical feel.

Lastly, is it silly to say I’d love to see this expanded into something with more of a true Zelda-like exploration sensibility?

I’d love to make a game like that, being a huge fan of Zelda, Metroid, Dark Souls, and other games you can pick your own path through. I need a bit more skill as a game designer before tackling that, though, because those games usually have a lot of systems (puzzles, combat, exploration, narrative). I’d like to perhaps offer a hub style system in Soulcaster III as a stepping stone to this fully explorable world.

Bought this on xbox a while ago. Great game. Didn’t know there was a sequel, but I’ll track it down now. Would love to see an expanded world with more options and role-playing elements in the next one.